Western Bulldogs youngster Roarke Smith most likely needs his second knee reconstruction, continuing the AFL premiers' wretched run of injuries.
Smith fell over while contesting a ball late in the third quarter of Thursday night's eight-point pre-season loss to Brisbane at Etihad Stadium.
He hurt his right knee and hobbled off the ground with the help of a trainer.
Coach Luke Beveridge said post-match that the news was probably bad for the defender, who needed a left knee reconstruction in August, 2015 after he was hurt in a VFL match.
"We'll be able to confirm it tomorrow, but our specialists think he's done his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament),"' Beveridge said.
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"Obviously it's a lot of bad luck, but we'll support him and get him going again," Beveridge said.
"It's obviously hard to give him that message at the moment, but it's a bitter pill to swallow tonight."
Smith returned last season to play one senior game - the second of his AFL career.
Round-one draftee Tim English is also firming for a round-one AFL debut against Collingwood, given fellow Bulldogs ruckmen Jordan Roughead and Tom Campbell are also injured.
Campbell has an ankle injury, while Roughead is out of action because of hamstring surgery.
English, taken with the No.19 pick in last year's national draft, played his first game for the Bulldogs on Thursday night.
One of the key features of last year's historic premiership is that the Bulldogs overcame a brutal injury toll.
Beveridge was asked after Thursday night's game whether he was starting to feel any deja vu.
"Not really - we'll get back both Roughy and Tommy Campbell back in the early part of the season, we believe," he said.
"It's not all doom and gloom."
